Pictures of the past
by Mrs. Owl 09
Summary: Just a fun little stand alone ficlet about Bridger and Lucas. Placed somewhere in the first season.


"What is it?" Asked the young blonde, as he stared at a muddy brown and green strip of plastic between his fingers.

"That's a negative, Lucas." Captain Bridger resisted the urge to grumble about his age, but did allow himself to glare at the youth.

"Please, sir? I'm not being nosey; I've just never seen anything like this. I just want to know what it is." He turned on his full pout in an effort to get his way.

Nathan blinked at him a few times trying to figure out if the kid was messing with him. "No, Lucas, it's called a negative. That's what pictures were made out of before you were born."

He squinted at the small images. "But the colors are all messed up, like when Ben tried to fix the vidscreen and he broke up the contrast."

Reaching out, Nathan possessively took the strip back. "I know." He said, gritting his teeth. "It's all I have though. These are five of the pictures that were taken at the dinner after Carol and I were married. This one in the middle is my favorite. She had had a little too much to drink and was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe."

Lucas peered at the picture. He could see a young woman laying on a table with her mouth open and a very young Captain leaning back, also with his mouth open. "Why don't you get a better picture?"

"I had one," he sighed. "Carol hated it, so I kept in my office at home. She always said it made her look like a fish on the deck of a boat. After she died… I couldn't find it. I don't know if she got rid of it, or if she wanted to do something with it and never got the chance."

Nathan tried to keep his voice level, but knew Lucas had caught the crack in it. "I did find the negative a few years ago but the machines they used to make the pictures are obsolete now. I've tried calling dozens of places and they just aren't around anymore."

"I'm sorry Captain." Lucas said in a quiet voice.

"Don't worry about it, our anniversary is in a month, and I guess I've just been thinking about it too much."

"I better get going Captain, I have some work to do before bed." The teenager said, awkwardly breaking the silence.

Nathan smiled but, narrowed his eyes at the blonde haired blue eyed devil of a boy. "Anything I should I know about?"

"Nah, just reprograming my speakers to get rid of the volume protection. It's really annoying." The door shut behind him and Lucas could have sworn he heard something about a _whippersnapper,_ whatever that was.

* * *

><p>Days later, a very frustrated Lucas sat at his computer. He had been searching for a machine that still would develop negatives. "Why don't they just take one of these stupid things out of a museum and use it?" he grumbled. He looked at a few more shots on the 'nex of different negatives, (and something called slides that weren't nearly as fun as he first thought it would be) and wondered if he could just build something. Looking up the specs of what a negative needed to become a picture, he started making a list.<p>

Early the next morning, Lucas woke a very surprised and very crabby Ben Krieg up. "I need you to order some stuff for me. I'll pay for it all and the Captain can't know, it's a surprise. Ok?"

Ben blinked tiredly at Lucas. "Am I going to get in trouble? Are you building a bomb?" Lucas shook his head to both questions, not bothering protest the accusations. "Ok, I'll get back to you about it." He slammed the door and went back to bed.

* * *

><p>It was almost three weeks later when Lucas finally got his delivery. Krieg couldn't get the chemicals he would need, but Lucas had now done enough research on the 'nex,, that he knew what he could use to replace them. He also knew he didn't have much time and starting building right away. With luck, he could work through the night a few times and not be called on it.<p>

* * *

><p>"Sir? Do you have a moment? There are some strange shortages going on and I'd like to know what you make of them." Commander Ford asked Captain Bridger as he walked into the mess hall.<p>

"After I've had my coffee, Jonathon."

"Er… that's one of the shortages actually."

Nathan's eyes narrowed. "There's no coffee," he stated simply.

"No sir, I'm sorry. We have run out of coffee and are nearly out of laundry detergent. We should have been set for at least another week." Ford explained with an annoyed expression. He hadn't been able to get his dose of caffeine either, and was starting to feel it. Adding on the possibility of people not being able to wash their clothes made him not eager to be around anyone for a while.

"Is someone hoarding it? Krieg maybe? It wouldn't be the first time he tried to play with supply and demand."

"I'll ask him, sir."

"Why don't we go together, I'm sure he'll be a little more forthright with me along." Ford nodded and they walked to the Supply Officer's quarters.

Nathan banged on the door and Ben opened it very quickly. The whole crew knew the kind of knock that meant business and no one would dare ignore it. "Ben, do you happen to have any coffee?" The frustrated captain asked, pinching away the headache that was threatening to come.

"No, why would I have coffee? People can get that for free in the mess." He seemed bewildered, and the two officers had trouble not believing him.

"If you somehow come across some, could you please inform us?"

"Yes, of course Captain. Are you saying we are out? I thought was just delivered a week ago with Luca… Um…. Some stuff," he finished lamely, wincing.

"What did Lucas get?" Nathan demanded, glaring.

"Um, it's supposed to be a surprise sir. For you. He just got a bunch of equipment. He also wanted some weird chemicals but I couldn't get them." Ben admitted sheepishly.

"Ok, let's go visit our resident wunderkind." Grumbled Nathan, turning on his heel. His headache was getting worse by the minute.

They left Ben's and marched to Lucas' room. Before they could knock on the door, however, Ford started sniffing the air. "Do you smell coffee sir, or am I losing it?"

"No, I smell it too. I really hate to think what he might be up to with that much of coffee though."

Nathan banged on the door, much the same way he had for Ben. "Lucas, we need to talk. I know you're up to something!"

The door eased open and a harried Lucas looked out. He appeared very jumpy and there were dark circles under his eyes. "Yes… yes, sir?" He asked, breathing heavily.

"May we come in?" Asked Nathan, now more concerned by his appearance than he had been irritated.

The boy glanced behind him apprehensively, but nodded and opened the door further. The Captain and Ford stopped in the doorway and stared at the once familiar room. There was some kind of machine the size of a desk in the middle and a large bag of coffee next to it. They also spied an equally large box of detergent. The oddest thing was that the whole corner opposite from the door and Darwin's aquatube was draped in thick black fabric.

"What_ is_ all this?" Asked Ford, looking around him.

"I… I'm trying to do something kinda old fashion." Lucas admitted guiltily, starting to fidget with his long flannel shirt.

The Nathan looked the teen up and down. "Since when do you have any interest in anything old fashion?"

"Because I wanted to do something for you." His voice got smaller and was unable to look at the two men glaring at him. He went into the black tent. When he came out, he was holding a large piece of paper and a negative strip. "Here," he whispered, handing it to Nathan.

The Captain saw what was in his hand and gasped. "How? How did you do this? Where did you even find the negative?" His emotions were boiling between rage and wonder.

"It was in your safe, I've known that code for a long time. I looked it up on the 'nex and just… built the machine. I couldn't get real chemicals but I found another way to do it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It was just a dumb idea." Lucas said glumly as he sat on his bed, hanging his head.

Nathan was staring down at the picture of him and Carol laughing and fought the tears. "Thank you Lucas, this is amazing."

"Really?" Came the still small voice. Lucas jumped up, "you really like it?! You're not mad at me?!"

"Um, Lucas, why is there so much coffee in here and how much did you drink?" Ford softly asked, wide eyed at his sudden burst of excitement.

"Oh, it's for the film, you know, to develop it? The detergent is part of the process too. The… uh, activator stuff." Lucas panted a few seconds after rambling.

Ford nodded, still staring at him. "And just how much coffee?

"And I… I donno how much I've had, I just really wanted to finish this and I haven't been sleeping…But I didn't need to… Please don't tell the Doc. She'll kill me," he pleaded.

"When was the last time you slept?" Nathan asked cautiously, taking in the dark circles and extra pale complexion.

"Uh… what day is it?"

"It's Friday, Kiddo," he said sternly. "How do you not know what day it is?"

Lucas was making calculations in his head. "Tuesday, I think, maybe, probably. Why? I feel fine! No problems!" He did a few little hops in place to prove this.

After taking a very deep breath, Nathan turned to his commander. "Could you take the coffee back to the mess please? I'm sure it'll be welcomed there." Ford nodded and left with the half full bag, wisely saying nothing.

"I'll make a deal with you Lucas. I'm amazed and touched you did this for me, and I'll give you a proper thanks when you're more lucid. If you go to bed right now, and promise to never stay up that many days in a row I won't tell Kristin. Ok?"

Lucas looked at him, his blue eyes dazed, "lucid is a funny word. Luuuuuuu sid. Laaa laaa la lucid."

The Captain bit back a laugh and led the boy to his bed. "Go to sleep already." Lucas was out before his head hit the pillow.


End file.
